- Date
- August 19, 2011, 18:30 local (Aug 20, 2011, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Igiugig, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N26CZCessna 180A
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20110819019149A
- Case key
- 81556
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to take off in a variable wind, resulting in a shallow climb and collision with terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was taking off in variable wind conditions from a pond in his float-equipped airplane. He stated that, shortly after takeoff, the wind shifted and the airplane began a descent that he was unable to stop. The airplane passed the shoreline and descended onto the ground, where it nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident and that he should have waited for a more favorable wind.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff in variable wind conditions from a float pond in his float-equipped airplane, the wind shifted, and the airplane began a descent that he was unable to stop. The airplane had passed the shoreline, and descended onto the ground, where it nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and that he should have waited for a more favorable wind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26CZ
- Reported as
- Cessna 180A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32859
- Airframe hours
- 10,803
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Waitman Bradley J, doing business as Igiugig Lodge, LLC
- Registered owner
- Waitman Bradley J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2011
- Departed
- Igiugig, AK
- Destination
- Igiugig, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 8, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,474 total · 1,067 in this make and model · 5,382 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 797 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N26CZ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.